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EQ Agility: Glossary of Terms

Last modified December 20, 2018

The following terminology is helpful to understand when working with EQ Agility, or the EQ Dashboard.

Strengths: Strengths are those EQ (Emotional Intelligence) Competencies likely to be most frequently displayed and thus observed, as well as reported favorably by others. They may have been used most often both today and in the past. These are calculated based on an algorithm that uses a combination of the elements of the EQ Agility instrument, listed below:

Completed by the Learner Alone:
Survey based on Personality Preferences and Traits

Completed by the Learner and Raters:
Rating of EQ Competencies, using the sliding scale of behavioral anchors
The Sorting exercise
The indication of most important areas for Development

Weaknesses: Weaknesses are the EQ (Emotional Intelligence) Competencies that are least likely to be evident, and thus not observed favorably by others as often. They are often the most difficult for a Learner to leverage, and usually have been in the past as well. These are calculated based on an algorithm that uses a combination of the elements of the EQ Agility instrument, listed below.

Completed by the Learner Alone:
Survey based on Personality Preferences and Traits

Completed by the Learner and Raters:
Rating by EQ Competency, using the sliding scale of behavioral anchors
The Sorting exercise
The indication of most important areas for Development

Anonymity: Anonymity is important to assuring candid, frank feedback. This refers to the inability of the Learner to see or inuit any specific feedback linked to the identity of their Raters. Anonymity is preserved for all Raters other than those in the Relationship Category, “Boss.” Matrix Insights adopts this best practice to increase the likelihood that Learners receive honest and direct feedback from all Raters. To be reported separately, any Relationship Category must have input from at least three raters. If there are fewer than three raters in a relationship category, then their input will be included in the overall averages and scoring of the EQ Agility results, but will not be reported separately as a relationship category.

Behavioral Anchors: Behavioral Anchors are the narrative descriptions of behaviors that guide the Learner and the Raters to identify where an individual Learner falls on a sliding 5 point scale of effectiveness. EQ Agility is rated across a continuum describing Unskilled, Skilled, and Highly Skilled Behavioral Anchors.

Clusters: Clusters are Competencies grouped into related “themes” within the larger taxonomy of Emotional Intelligence (EQ.) In the EQ Agility Model, there are three Clusters of EQ Competencies; Self-Knowledge and Management, Knowledge and Awareness of Others, and Deploying and Leveraging Productive EQ Skills. See also Families. You can view a list of all 54 EQ Competencies here, organized in 3 Clusters, and 10 Families.

Blindspots: Blindspots are EQ Competencies that a Learner rated one point (on the 5-point scale, meaning at least 20%) or more higher than the average of the Rater group responses. Blindspots are important because a Learner not realizing how s/he is viewed by others can lead to over-estimating perceived capability in important areas. Blindspots lead to derailment and career trouble.

Competencies: In the EQ Agility Report, there are 54 defined Emotional Intelligence (EQ) competencies that makes up the spectrum of empirically defined Emotionally Intelligent behaviors. You can view a list of all 54 EQ Competencies here, organized in 3 Clusters, and 10 Families.

Composite Scoring: The EQ Agility report uses a proprietary algorithm to calculate likely top Strengths and greatest Weaknesses. Unlike a traditional 360 Report, that uses only rater feedback and thus is dependent on a particular place and time, the EQ Agility Report uses input from all sources listed below to create a rank order for the competencies surveyed.

Completed by the Learner Alone:
Survey based on Personality Preferences and Traits

Completed by the Learner and Raters:
Rating by EQ Competency, using the sliding scale of behavioral anchors
The sorting exercise
The indication of most important areas for development

Development Opportunity Area: A Development Opportunity is a competency that, if improved or changed, would help make a positive difference in your overall performance and could become a strength.

Families: In the EQ Agility Model or taxonomy there are ten Families of EQ Competencies organized within three Clusters. The Families being: Self-Knowledge, Self Management/Regulation, Self-Balance, Self-Organization, Reading People, Understanding People in Social Situations, Building Productive Relationships, Transacting Effectively, Dealing with Difficulty with Others, and Displaying the Best Self. See also Clusters. You can view a list of all 54 EQ Competencies here, organized in 3 Clusters, and 10 Families.

Learner: is defined as the primary subject of development, and the individual being rated by others in a 360 EQ Agility Assessment.

Hidden Strengths: Hidden Strengths are EQ Competencies that a Learner rated one point (on the 5-point scale, meaning at least 20%) or more lower than the average of the Rater group responses. Hidden Strengths are important because it is likely that Learner may under-estimate perceived capability in important areas. This can lead to not stepping forward to take opportunities where you are likely to be successful.

Paths or User Inputs: Various User Inputs are leveraged to create the overall assessment of the Learner’s likely Top Strengths and Overall Weaknesses. When only one User Input is completed (e.g. Self- Rating( the Learner will receive an EQ Agility Report, but it will not have the richness and greater accuracy that comes from the aggregate of all User Inputs (Self-Rating, 360 Raters, Sorting and Survey). Matrix Insights strongly encourages the use of all possible Paths to provide the most accurate input. The four Paths of discovery are:

Completed by You Alone:

Learn about EQ
Survey based on Personality Preferences and Traits

Completed by You and Your Raters:
Rating by EQ Competency, using the sliding scale of behavioral anchors
The Sorting exercise

Ratings: Ratings are provided by a learner and invited Raters using a behaviorally anchored scale (unskilled, skilled or highly skilled) to indicate the degree to which the learner displays skillful behaviors in select EQ competencies.

Rater: refers to those who are asked to participate in a 360 EQ Agility Assessment of a Learner and will be rating the observed competencies (identified behaviors) on a sliding scale of unskilled, skilled or highly skilled). Raters fall into 1 of 8 relationship categories, those being,
1. Board/Director
2. Superior
3. Leader/Boss
4. Peer
5. Direct Report
6. Professional Associated
7. Customer
8. Other

Matrix Insights highly recommends a discussion of rater selection and which categories would be most valuable for the Learner. See also, Relationship Categories

Relationship Categories: There are eight Relationship Categories the Learner can assign to each of his/her Raters. While feedback is presented without identifying a specific person, other than in a Boss category, it is linked to a one of the eight categories, such as Direct Reports or Peers. To ensure the greatest understanding of the feedback, it is important to group feedback respondents into their appropriate Relationship Categories so that a Learner understands the source of the input. The eight Relationship Categories are:
Board/Director
Superior
Leader/Boss
Peer
Direct Report
Professional Associated
Customer
Other

Sorting: Sorting the EQ competencies into three categories is another way to give feedback about relative Strengths and Weaknesses. By completing this prioritization, Learners and Raters provide an additional level of differentiation among Competencies that might otherwise be closely rated when using only the behaviorally anchored scale in the more traditional rating process.

Survey: refers to the Learner Input Path that identifies a Learners personality (cognitive) preferences. This survey is only taken by the Learner and assists in identifying additional suggestions for development, possible strengths and weakness based upon the science of Type.

Ties: Ties refer to those rated competencies (identifies with a T), whether Top 3 or Bottom 3 that have identical scores and should be considered appropriately. See an example here.